


Winter Star Gift Exchange

by lmizutani



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-09-28 05:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17176838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lmizutani/pseuds/lmizutani
Summary: This happens prior to the farmer's arrival.  It is unusual for two people to have each other as Winter Star giftees but what if by some fluke it did happen?





	1. The Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prequel to a series that will feature a new farmer OC from Japan. Hope you enjoy.

Stardew Valley's gossip mill, otherwise known as Caroline, Jodi, Robin, Haley and Mayor Lewis, heard that the new owner of Sakura Farm, and granddaughter of the previous owner, will be taking over the farmstead. Rumor had it that she will be arriving on the first of spring. Everyone was abuzz about what she would be like. They were also a little worried since it appears that she will be flying in from Japan. How much English would she know? Does she know English at all?

However, that is the last thing on Sebastian's mind. Today, he will find out who he has to give his Winter Star gift to..

The Feast of the Winter Star. The gift exchange. Two traditions that Sebastian never thought made any sense. Sure, he had celebrated with his family every year, heck with the entire town for that matter. But it really did not mean anything to him. He never knew his father. He does not get along with his stepfather, Demetrius, although even he could see that he made his mom happy. All he thought about was that spending a day with his family doing nothing but eat and get on each other's nerves was not the best way to spend his afternoon.

He is not particularly religious. The symbolism behind the holiday went completely over his head. He did not mind the food per se. The gift exchange had its moments. Sometimes he had great gifts. Like that one year he received a frozen tear and an obsidian from Abigail. But then again, there were other years when what he had received he really had to scratch his head about – like the time Sam decided to be funny and give him a case of Joja cola. This time around, however, he was simply stumped.

This year, when everyone received their targets, Sebastian was given...

Alex.

He knew the guy, sort of. They went to Zuzu High School together, along with Sam and Abigail. He recalled that Alex had transferred into the school from nearby Algoma High in their first year. At the time, Alex was almost insufferable. He always looked down at Sebastian, Sam and Abigail – for what reason he had no clue. He always hung out with all the jocks. He always was boasting about his athletic abilities and the fact that he was forward on the Algoma High Grid-ball team. They had actually won the championship the year prior and apparently Alex was a big reason behind that win.

Now, he has to somehow find a decent gift for one of the last people he wanted to hang out with. He could even deal with having his stepfather as his gift giver target than Alex. From what he recalled, he was into the high protein diet of eggs, bacon, and so forth. Things that Sebastian find gross. What was he going to do now?

Alex, on the other hand, received his letter from his grandmother, Evelyn. His own thoughts about the Feast of the Winter Star were bittersweet at best. It was during that season that he heard the bad news about his mother. Cancer. During the Winter Star season ten years ago, the doctor had given her about six months to live and advised that she be made as comfortable as possible. There was little they could do.

Evelyn and George Mueller were her parents, Alex's grandparents. They were as devastated as he was when his mother passed away the following summer. Soon after the funeral, Evelyn told Alex that he was to move in with them to finish off high school and possibly go to college.

No, that was not the plan Alex had. His dream was to forget about school. Grid-ball was where it was at and he had proven himself to be quite the player. That was his ticket to success. Once he becomes professional and join the Zuzu Tunneler team, he can give back to his mother (at least that was what he had thought when she was alive). He can provide for his grandfather, George, now wheelchair bound and help his grandmother, who was healthy but not getting any younger.

This year, he was to give his Winter Star gift to...

Sebastian.

Alex always thought that Sebastian was a strange one. After all, who the heck wears all black all the time? That hairstyle of his went out of style at least two or three years prior. And then, the people he hung out with...Sam was just nutty...and Abigail was weird. Oh boy, this was going to be a hard one to stomach. Sebastian was almost everything Alex was not. The two of them had practically nothing in common – or at least so he thought.

The Feast was in one week. They had one week to find a gift for their target.


	2. The Search is on

Sebastian woke up the day after receiving his target, still unsure of what to give Alex. He had asked his mother, Robin while the two of them had lunch together, if she had any ideas. She admitted that from the very few conversations she had with Alex's grandparents, she really did not know Alex that well.

Maru, his half-sister, found the guy almost as insufferable as he did. She has not forgiven him for the way he had bullied her, her best friend, Penny, her brother, and his friends back when they were all in high school. Not that Sebastian would ask her for any suggestions anyway. The two of them have a strained relationship at the best of times

However, any further thought about what to get Alex was interrupted by a knock on his basement door. Sam and Abigail, his best buddies, arrived for their weekly session in an ongoing Solarian Chronicles campaign. At least that was the original plan.

The three of them decided instead they should check out the Zuzu City Winter Festival this year. It was a new festival. One of Sebastian's freelance clients had requested a link to this festival on their corporate tourism website.. It was being held in the city center and from what he had heard, various vendors would be displaying their wares for sale. Most of them were targeting the Winter Star shopping market with various wares from local artisans, crafters and other small business owners hoping for some extra business.

They were hoping to find something for their targets. Alex would be a tough one to buy for. He had almost suggested switching targets with either Sam or Abigail. However, neither of them knew Alex that well either. The only person in Pelican Town who Alex was friends with, from what they can tell anyway, was Haley. She was the one person Abigail despised; Sam and Sebastian were not too crazy about dealing with her either.

They arrived in Zuzu city by mid-afternoon. Zuzu City was all decked out for its Winter Festival. Sam, Abigail and Sebastian were huddled by a crowded stall, hungry for some food – preferably warm. Offerings that they saw while walking by the stalls included something called poutine, whatever that was, burger and fries, fish and chips. Sebastian managed to find a stall that was selling tuna sashimi with a mug of ale for 1000 G. Sam, always the adventurous as far as food goes, wanted to try out this poutine business. Fried potato, with gravy and cheese curds. Sebastian took one look at the bowls Sam had, and nearly choked. Abigail decided to play it safe with burger and fries.

After they finished eating, Sebastian left the other two to their own devices and went ahead on the hunt for a gift for Alex. Although Sam knew Alex from his time living in Zuzu City prior to the family moving to Pelican Town, he had no clue what Alex would like. Aside from what seems to be obvious – anything related to gridball or Tunnellers.

The Tunnellers...Sebastian knew someone who knew the captain of the team. He figured that it was a long shot but if he could get in touch with his former client...

Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, Alex and his grandparents were visiting his mother's grave. The three of them made a trek out to the cemetery every year, the week before Winter Star, to celebrate quietly with their mother/daughter. Alex will tell her how he has been progressing in his training regimen. How he misses her. How he wished she could see him now.

After finishing his private conversation with his mother, he stepped aside, allowing George and Evelyn to spend some time with her as well. Respecting their need for a private moment, Alex decided to walk around the cemetery, checking out various graves and wonder what type of people are behind the names. Another ten minutes and his grandparents were ready to leave. He steered George's wheelchair over the pathway to the exit.

The three of them decided they needed to do some Winter Star shopping at the winter festival before heading back to Pelican Town. Alex knew that he had to find something suitable to give to Sebastian for the gift exchange. While they walked along the busy street, they ran into Sam and Abigail, The four of them made polite conversation – although the three young people did not really get along all that well, they managed to keep the conversation civil for the sake of Evelyn and George.

Alex wondered out loud where the third member of the trio was.

Neither Sam nor Abigail knew where Sebastian was. They told Evelyn and George, in Alex's hearing, that Sebastian had left them hours ago to look for a Winter Star Gift which meant he could be anywhere by now. For all the two of them knew, he may have found his gift and was waiting for the two of them at a coffee shop or something.

Evelyn asked the two what they were doing in Zuzu city. They told her that they were checking out the festival with Sebastian. But he had left them an hour ago to look for a gift for his Winter Star target. Abigail asked in turn what the three of them were doing in the city. She was told that after a visit to the cemetery to pay respects to her daughter, the three of them were looking around at the festival, hoping for some last minute gifts for Winter Star.

Alex pulled Sam aside, since out of the trio of friends, he was the most friendliest with Alex. He whispered to him that he had Sebastian as his secret gift target and if he had any ideas on what to get him for Winter Star. Alex had heard through the saloon grapevine that whenever they had Sashimi or Sushi as the main special, it would be bought out by Sebastian in no time flat. From Alex's own childhood he recalled this one particular place where his parents frequented while they were still in speaking terms; he could have sworn that they sold sushi as part of their main menu. Now to find that place...

Alex quickly thanked Sam for the suggestion and asked if he and Abigail can keep an eye on his grandparents while he checked out one particular place for a possible gift. He believed that it should not be longer than an hour tops.

Sam and Abigail are friendly with both Evelyn and George since their mothers help them out on occasion. They agreed.

A few hours later, Sebastian and Alex rejoined the party and, although there was some uneasiness amongst Sebastian, Abigail and Alex, the six of them waited for the bus to return to Pelican Town that evening, their Winter Star shopping more or less completed.


	3. The Reveal

The Feast of the Winter Star has finally arrived. Everyone gathered in the town square to celebrate the blessings the year had brought them. 

Sebastian and Alex, however, were more worried about how their gifts were being received.

One by one, Mayor Lewis called each member of the village to the center of the square by the large decorated tree. Everyone minded their own business otherwise until their name was called. As they waited, the secret gift giver would approach the tree and retrieve the gift that they had placed under the tree.

Mayor Lewis called up a few people before Sebastian had his turn in the center of the square. He slowly walked up and waited. Behind him, Alex grabbed his gift and slowly walked toward him. 

“Here, I'm your secret gift giver,” Alex said when he joined Sebastian, presenting a small box. 

Sebastian took the little box from Alex, shook it briefly, trying to guess what could possibly be inside. He drew a blank. Alex still waited for Sebastian to open the gift with bated breath. 

Deciding to put Alex out of his misery, Sebastian opened the gift to find a collection of gemstones: obsidian, amethyst, diamond, emerald, ruby, surrounded a frozen tear. Surprised, Sebastian looked up at Alex. 

“All right, I admit it. Don't say anything but I managed to find a way to obtain these without going down the mines.” Alex looked down briefly. "I wanted to apologize for the way we treated you in high school. I know that it cannot make up for all the grief we caused but at least it's a start...I hope?"

Sebastian smirked, leaving Alex a little confused.

“Well, this is a coincidence because I am your secret gift giver,.” he said as he picked up the rectangular box wrapped in green, the colour of the Tunnellers. “In thinking about what to give you this year, I know that we do not always see eye to eye. So, saying that, here's your gift.”

Alex was a little puzzled but opened the gift. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened in shock. It was a brand new gridball, signed by some of the members of the Tunnellers.

“You see, I knew someone who knows some of the players. We had not met in person; we usually meet online to play games and share ideas. A couple of them are also clients of mine. I called in a few favours and got this for you.” Sebastian said, waiting anxiously as Alex still did not say anything. However, after a couple of anxious minutes, he gave Sebastian a bear hug. Surprised, Sebastian froze, then gingerly returned the hug, albeit briefly, before Alex let him go.

“Happy Feasting, Alex.”

“Same to you, Sebastian.”


End file.
